Out of Blood and Flesh
by Rockabilly
Summary: Ali Lestranges' parents disappeared when she was just two years old, and good riddence. She doesn't want anyone at Hogwarts finding out about them. But someone already knows, a certain Malfoy someone, and nothings to stop him blabbing..
1. Blood

Disclaimer; YES!!! I DO own Harry Potter! I wrote all the books when I was six, but a nasty lady on a train stole them off me! I think her name was, like, Joanna or Jackie or something. And I'm not sure about her surname but I think it was Rowland or Rowlson.

Hello! In Rockabilly! This is my first story so please don't be too harsh. And please don't flame me cos I'll start crying and come and snot on you or something. I also have a Machete I'm willing to use. Oh! Thank you a gazillion times to Mooncheese, my bestest bestest friend who regularly encourages coughTHREATENScough me if I can't be bothered to write. This has taken me AGES. Oh, and you should probably be nice and go read her lily/james fic cos it is WAY better than this.

Out of flesh and blood

The house lay in total darkness, an eerie silence penetrating the paper thin walls. It had lain, apparently abandoned for the last three days, though none of the villagers had particularly wanted to venture near it to investigate.

The people who had lived there had been unfriendly beings- they made no effort to fit into the community and had kept themselves to themselves for the most part- though their frequent visitors had not gone unnoticed. Very _odd_ they were too- they seemed to appear out of nowhere, often masked and cloaked. So when the lights had gone out and all had gone silent there was a noticeable lack of nosy gossipers peering in at the windows.

If only the villagers _had _been a little more enquiring, they would've been met with a scene creepily reminiscent of that of the _Mary Celeste. _The dinner table, set for three, had been untouched, the food lying cold on the plates. The living room grate showed the remains of a log fire and a child's toys lay scattered haphazardly across the carpet. And silence.

If they had gone further, climbing the stairs, they still would have seen and heard nothing. But the house was not abandoned. Under the bed in the nursery lay a small child, her dark, heavily lidded eyes wide with fright as she clutched at a small ragged doll in her hand. She had not slept or eaten in three days. She could remember the events of three nights ago as if they had been photographically printed in her mind.

She remembered as the two men came to visit, one large and thickset, the other little more than a boy, with thick sandy hair. They had spoken in whispers to her parents, their faces taught nervously. Her mother had paled and she had sent her daughter to bed. Then later the doorbell had rung a second time. She remembered the shouts and cries had followed, bangs and flashes of green light which lit up the small child's room as she hid under her bed in terror.

It was a further two days before the girl slept, overcome with hunger and fatigue. She would not remember the tall, grey- bearded wizard who came later that night to take her to her new home. She would later remember just snippets of the life she had spent in this house. And sometimes she would wish she couldn't remember anything at all.

Aliothe Coombes smiled to herself as she walked through the avenue of trees on her way home. It had been a good summer really. She had just collected her OWLs results: she had received outstanding in Charms AND Defence Against the Dark Arts as well as exceeds expectations in Transfiguration, Herbology and Potions. She wished she could've taken them at Hogwarts with the other witches and wizards of her age- but Susie and Jack HAD said they would let her go this year if her results were good enough. They surely wouldn't go back on their word again?

She sighed. Her foster parents had been good to her and she was fond of them, but they always seemed to be at loggerheads over whether she could attend the school of witchcraft and wizardry. They had been promising her since the age of eleven, practically, but every year she got the same thing

"_It's not that we don't think you can cope, Ali dear, but all the same, kids can be very cruel. We just don't want you to get hurt! Is that so wrong of us? You know what will happen if they find out about your parents! We just want what's best for you love."_

Aliothe sighed again, her good mood regarding her results rapidly evaporating. She had had the same dream again last night, the one about when her parents left. She felt the familiar surge of anger at the thought of her real parents

'_Damn them!' _she thought angrily_ 'Why'd they have to go ruin my life by existing! It's like, I can't even be myself without people thinking I'm gonna turn out like them! I can't even go to school like all the rest of my kind!'_

She had been going to a muggle school now ever since she could remember and Jack had been giving her private lessons in magic at home. She didn't dislike her school, but it was obvious she didn't fit in. She couldn't make any friends; not without living a lie. How would she explain her house? The talking clock that knew everything about you? The Nimbus 2003 that had been a present from her parents last birthday? Her wand? Her spellbooks?

Pushing these things to the back of her mind, Ali tried to concentrate on her results. She smiled. If she admitted it to herself she had not expected them to be anything like as good. She knew Jack and Susie would be proud of her. Brightened by these thoughts, she jogged down the lane to her house. So pre-occupied was she with imagining her parents reactions that she failed to notice anything wrong as she stepped into the warm homely cottage.

"Hello?" the house seemed unusually quiet "Jack? Susie? I got my results!" There was no response. Suddenly she heard a noise coming from the sitting room.

"Susie?" Her mother was lying on the floor, sobbing quietly to herself.

"Susie??! What's wrong? What happened?!" Susie seemed unable to speak, she was mumbling incoherently. She looked up at her foster daughter, and Ali was shocked by what she saw. In the space of half an hour her mother had aged ten years.

Susie's eyes, usually so immaculately made-up, were wide and terrified, her mascara in watery streaks down her face. The woman seemed insane- she was tugging at her hair as if she wished to pull it out, and she seemed to be succeeding as little clumps of it were woven round her fingers. Her lipstick had smudged around her mouth, but what most shocked Ali was the expression on her face.

For the first time in her life, Susie Coombes looked completely and totally broken.

Finally she seemed to want to speak, though the sobs still raked her body, almost choking her.

"Haven't you.....seen it?" the tears were pouring down her face "It's all m-m-my fault! I only...w-w-went out for a m-minute! They.. must've c-c-c-come then!! And now he's g-gone and it's all my f-f-fault!"

Ali was scared now, she had barely ever seen Susie lose her cool before, never mind break down like this.

"Whose gone?! What's your fault!? What is it Susie?!! What haven't I seen?"

"J-j-jack! He's GONE!!" she broke down again pointing at Aliothe to look out the window. And it all became horrendously clear.

Over the lawn a huge, smoky green skull had appeared, a serpent protruding from between skeletal teeth.

The Dark Mark.

Ok now. I have a teeny tiny request... REVIEW!!!! I need to know what you think! If you do I will give you Haagen Dazs Ice cream (come on, EVERYONE loves that). If you don't I will somehow manage to track you down with my machete. Love you! cheesy smile


	2. Life, Death and The Hogwarts Express

Disclaimer-I OWN CHARACTERS!!! I don't own anyone you would know, but I DO own Ali, Kelsey, Amma and Sorenna and I'm very attached to them so don't steal them or you will die.

Ha!!!!!!! People reviewed meee!!!!!! I'm so happy!! Thankyou tons and tons and tons to

Mooncheese, who is not only my bestest friend but also my FIRST reviewer. And also thanx to

Elrin Eruwest (that IS right isn't it?) for being my first reviewer who ISN'T my best friend. I love cliffes, but only when I write them cos then I know what's gonna happen next! Mwahaha!.

Child-of-scorpio for being a great author and still reviewing my story even tho hers is way better.

DANZ!!! Your review was sooooo nice THANKYOUUU! I was so happy when I got it!

Chloe!!! You stupid person! You are supposed to READ my story! That was NOT a proper review. And you need to get a life. As in, one that doesn't revolve around Nathan. You obsessed person.

THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO NANCY, BECAUSE I STOLE HER MACHETE AS A THREAT! THE MACHETE BELONGS TO NANCY!!!!

And sorry it took me a while to write this, cos the teachers at my school have never heard of compassion, and decided to load ten tons of homework on our innocent selves.

By the way, the first bit of this chappie is WAAAY boring, but I kinda had to put it in as a filler thingy. So sorry if you get bored.

Anyhoo, second chappie!

Life, death and the Hogwarts Express

During the next few days Aliothe found that time seemed to be doing the oddest things. It would sort of lurch. At some points she felt like it was going so fast all she would see was a blur of colour, whilst at others the time would drag, leaving her to much to her own thoughts for her own comfort. She hated mulling over what'd happened and it was worse when Susie was around.

While Ali had tried everything she could to keep busy, Susie seemed to do the opposite. She had not washed or changed, as far as Ali could tell, since the funeral several days before. She would sit around, her eyes, puffy and red, groaning slightly, drinking copious amounts of firewhisky and mulled mead and growing shabbier by the day. The loss of her husband seemed to have made her lose the will to live and she was relying solely on her foster daughter to look after her.

Ali wasn't sure how much more she could take. Jack had been the only person she had ever really got close to, the only one who had ever really known her, the only person she had known she could completely confide in. Sure, she had always had Susie as well, but she had never had quite the same connection with her mother as the one she had associated with her father. Not only this, but she seemed to be running the whole house at the moment. She_ hated_ the thought of asking Susie to help her, the woman was completely heartbroken. She had had to practically dress her for the funeral, and had tried to be strong all through her own pain, which set on her heart like some sort of huge weight. But she knew she wouldn't be able to hold the act for much longer.

Dumbledore arrived three days later.

Aliothe had never been so glad to see anyone in her life. There was something comforting about the tall, powerful wizard that gave her a huge sense of hope.

"Ahh, miss Lestrange," he smiled warmly at her. Dumbledore was the only one who called her by that name. "I was wondering if I could come in? I have some urgent business with your mother, and I must admit I was rather worried about you both."

Ali invited him in, puzzled. What urgent business could he have with Susie? Of course- Ali's eyes filled up- her father had been murdered, but Lord Voldemort had returned. Of course there would be deaths. She had expected him to have come to pay his respects or to give his condolences , but urgent business?

Intrigued, she followed him through to the living room where Susie lay, bottle of firewhisky still in hand. She jumped up when Dumbledore walked in.

"Ahh! Err... Dumbledore! I mean sir.. I mean....I didn't know you were coming... err....." she trailed off, blushing. Dumbledore smiled kindly.

'there is no need to call me'sir' Mrs Coombes. I did not expect you to be looking your best- you have just lost your husband- you cannot be expected to have recovered. Let me first offer my full condolences. I am terribly sorry for your loss."

Susie sniffed. 'Thank you sir.'

"Please don't thank me" Dumbledor smiled sadly. "Now I must tell you something. I hate to have to spring this on you at this horrific time, but I must. The death of your husband was- as I'm sure you already know- the work of Lord Voldemort." Susie shuddered slightly at the mention of his name. "and, though it pains me to tell you, his death may not have been just a one off killing."

Susies eyes widened in horror. "You mean he might have been_ targeted?!_"

Dumbledore looked grave. "I am afraid that is a very real possibility. You.." he looked at Ali, whose blood felt cold as ice as the headmaster's words began to register. Her brain felt as if it was working exceptionally slowly, "are the child of Voldemort's most powerful and faithful supporters. It is very likely that he wants to use you. Possibly he wants to recruit you as a death eater, but he may have other uses for you. Our intelligence does not know anything else at the moment"

He paused, waiting for this revelation to sink in before he continued

"Therefore I think it is wise that you do not stay here. Mrs Coombes, I wish you to go into hiding. I know a safe place you can stay. Have you been made aware of an organisation known as 'The order of the phoenix?' I believe you were alerted to it's existence by myself earlier this year?" Susie nodded mutely. Dumbledore continued. "I think it would be wise if you would stay at the headquarters. It is one of the safest places I know. There is no pressure to join the order, though if you wish to you are quite welcome."

Susie nodded again. She seemed to have lost her voice. Ali however, had not failed to notice the fact that she had not been not been included in Dumbledores invitation. She opened her mouth to question it but he got in first.

"And Miss Lestrange. No doubt you are wondering why you were not included in this invitation?" Ali wondered, not for the first time, whether Dumbledore could read minds. "I think it advisable that you would enrol, rather late I must say, but no matter, at Hogwarts"

Aliothe was completely disorientated. She had never been to such a busy place! She had arrived early at Kings Cross, and the morning rush hour (or three) was hardly over. She had been almost knocked down at least three times by various groups of tourists and business men all seemingly in a huge rush to get to wherever they were going. Looking round, she vaguely attempted to spot someone who looked like they were about to get on an invisible platform and be whisked off to wizard school for a few months. She failed. Reading Dumbledores instructions again, she tried shoving her way towards platforms 9 and 10 and silently cursing her guard, a young witch with vivid pink hair who kept stumbling over peoples feet and getting left behind.

Finally she reached the barrier between platform 9 and 10. The pink haired witch was already there, and looked exceptionally relieved to see Ali.

"Ahh! Thank MERLIN!" she exclaimed, "I thought I'd LOST you!! Dumbledore would've murdered me! Now, I'll just see you onto the platform and then I REALLY have to go, you'll be ok from there wont you?"

Ali nodded and leant on the wall, feeling herself fall through.

Suddenly she was there, on the platform, surrounded, for the first time in her life, by people just like her. She stood there for a while, letting it all soak in. To her left a wailing mother clung to her small first-year daughter, who looked very embarrassed and was gingerly patting her mother on the head, making vague promises to write.

On her other side, a group of fourth of fifth year girls were examining a group of photos which were apparently very entertaining judging by the fact they were all shrieking hysterically. A disembodied announcement floated through the air.

"The time is ten forty-one. Will all students please make there way into the carriages. The train will depart in approximately nine minutes."

A porter hastily took Ali's suitcase from her, leaving her free to get on the train. Just as she got near the door, a tall blonde boy shoved past her.

"Watch where you're going, bitch" he snapped at her. Ali was taken aback. Who the hell did he think he was?! She snapped back.

"Oh, I'm _sorry" _she began sarcastically. "But I thought it was rude to shove innocent bystanders out the way and then swear at them when they haven't done anything. Obviously I was wrong._ So _sorry." She glared at him. The boy looked scandalised.

"Are you taking the piss?" He snarled. Ali was glaring daggers at him. She wasn't used to people being so rude to her. And judging by the look on the boys face, he wasn't used to people standing up to him. Other students, alerted by the shouting, had stopped to watch. "You little bitch!" he took a step towards her, reaching inside his pocket. Ali was to quick for him.

"Petrificus Totallus!" She shouted. The boy froze. His arms and legs sprang together and he keeled over backwards. Ali smiled triumphantly as a couple of students cheered, and stepped onto the Hogwarts express.

She had thought she had got there early, but apparently not. All the compartments already seemed to be full of chattering friends, all sharing their summer holidays with close friends. Eventually she found an almost-empty one. There was just one girl in there. Ali recognised her as one of the girls who had been laughing at the photos.

"Erm, excuse me, d'you mind me sitting here? She asked nervously. The girl looked up from the magazine she was reading, looking slightly surprised and a little annoyed at the interruption.

"What? Oh, no, I mean, yeah, I suppose so." She didn't sound to enthusiastic Ali sat down. The girl was looking intently at her, frowning a little.

"Sorry, but do I know you? Only, I haven't really seen you around Hogwarts, and I know _most_ people above forth year."

"Oh," Ali felt a little uncomfortable, hoping the fact she was new wasn't going to attract a lot of attention. She hated being in the limelight. "I'm new into sixth year. My parents decided not to send me to Hogwarts because, err, they thought it'd be, err, better for me to be home schooled and stuff." She lied.

The girl sneered slightly. Aliothe cursed her lying ability. Home schooling better than Hogwarts? Now the girl would probably think her parents were nutcases. Ali tried not to think about her parents. It was too painful. The girl seemed to have lost interest in the subject. They sat in silence for a few minutes, the train pulling away from the station and making it's way slowly through the north of London. Then the girl spoke again.

"What's your name anyway?" She asked in a bored way. She was still peering at Aliothe in that odd, distracted way. Ali was beginning to find it annoying.

"Aliothe Lest....-Coombes" she replied "Ali. and you are?"

"Antonia Readling. I'm in sixth year too. My friends have all gone off somewhere. Pansy has prefect duties. You will_ love_ Pansy, she such a darrling" she replied, as if it were some sort of honour to be introduced to her and her freinds. Ali noticed that she spoke a bit snottily, as if she was some sort of superior being. She was beginning to like her less and less. Footsteps were pounding up and down the corridor outside and the compartment door was flung open by a sixth-year girl who Ali thought looked uncannily like a giant pug.

Antonia squealed loudly, making Ali jump, and the two girls air-kissed in the most over the top fashion. She was completely ignored by them both as they began to gossip about some poor unsuspecting people.

"PANSY!! How was your summer? Did you enjoy Paris? I did practically nothing all holiday! It was sooo _dull..... OhmigoshUgh!_ Did you _hear _about Granger?"

"_Noo?!_ What happened? Fill me _in _girlfriend!"

"Ugh, the skanky bitch got all outstandings on her owls, right? And went round Weasel-faces to celebrate, and, like, stuff _happened!_"

"EWWWWWWW! That is sooo skanky! They are, like, the skankiest couple!"

"I _know, _innit?"

"_And_ Weasleys sister is soo rude! I was like, getting on the train and she was all pushing me so I was all, move it! And she was , like, move yourself and then she shoved me and I thought she was gonna, like _jinx_ me or something!!"

The other girl gasped in indignation at the apparent mistreatment of her 'girlfriend'.

"ahh, _RUDE_!"

Aliothe found herself warming to this 'Weasley Girl'. Pansy could do with a few jinxes. Ali was strongly doubting whether any of the 'hot gossip' had even the tiniest grain of truth in it. She was just dreaming about stomping out and going to find more enjoyable company when her thoughts were interrupted by yet more high-pitched squeals of what Ali guessed was delight, or though it sounded more like half a dozen piglets being strangled. She looked up to see the cause of the disturbance. Ali's heart dropped like a stone.

A tall, lanky blonde boy stood in the doorway, shielded by two other, rather less lanky boys who looked unquestionably like body-guards. It was the boy she had jinxed. He didn't seem to have noticed her, so she took the time to have a proper look at him. She supposed she would've called him good looking, had it not been for the greasy hair and self-satisfied smirk he wore on his face. And the fact that she had a pretty good idea of who he was. A Malfoy, she'd bet money on it. His father had been sent to Azkaban just a few short weeks ago. Photos of the family had been plastered on the front page of the_ Prophet _for days. The boy still didn't seem to notice her, instead he headed straight for Pansy, who wound herself boa-constrictor like around him. The smirk widened.

"Alright Babes?" Ali wanted to puke. _Babes?_ Jeez, what does she call him, honey bunny or something? Then he spotted Ali. And did a double take.

"_You_ again?!" he spoke as though Ali were a particularly ugly insect. "Who the hell _are_ you anyway?!"

"Aliothe Coombes." Ali did not meet his eye.

Suddenly a tiny glimmer of recognition flashed in his eyes. He knew she was lying. She could sense it in the way the corners of his mouth flicked maliciously, the way he held her gaze in what she could only describe as a silent threat. Ali stared stonily back at him, but his gaze made her feel uncomfortable. They seemed to be having a conversation through telepathy.

"_Coombes eh? Funny that, you really remind me of someone else."_ His look says

"_Why would that be. Family resemblance maybe?"_

"_You even THINK about telling people who I am...."_

"_Whats gonna stop me, Lestrange?. See I know. Lestrange Lestrange Lestrange! Jinxing me wasn't a very good idea, was it? Bet you're regretting it now, eh?"_ Ali broke eye contact.

She needed to escape. Fast.

Gabbling something about needing the toilet, she grabbed her bag and scooted out of the compartment, but not fast enough that she didn't catch what Malfoy said to her retreating back, his voice dripping with malice.

"It's been lovely to meet you Miss Les- I mean....._Coombes"_

__

Ali wandered up the corridor, her heart pumping. Malfoy knew. _Malfoy knew._ Her mind was in turmoil. The hopeful side of her brain told her there was nothing to worry about. "_So what if Malfoy knows? He didn't even know her! Why would he tell anyone? Its not like he has anything against me, is it? I only jinxed him! He knew it was in self defence. He wouldn't do that to someone he barely knows, would he?"_

The pessimistic, and, Ali thought, probably the more_ realistic_ side of her argued back.

"_He's a Malfoy, do you think he needs aproper reason? He'd do it out of spite, he wouldn't give a damn whether you wanted anyone to know or not. You don't exactly fit into his little gang, anyone can see that. You cursed him. He's gonna want to get revenge. And even if you were his best mate, if he's anything like his father he'd stab you in the back without even thinking twice about it."_

Ali was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice the person coming the other way until she whacked straight into them. A yelp of pain followed and she looked around desperately to see who she had injured.

"_Great Ali, you aren't even at Hogwarts yet and already you've met the only person who knows your secret and is likely to tell the school about it AND you've concussed one of your fellow students. WELL DONE."_

Ali looked at the floor. A skinny girl with bright blonde messy hair was rubbing her head dazedly. Ali panicked.

"I am so so so SORRY!" she gasped, "It was an accident! Are you ok? I am really really sorry! I didn't mean to! Do you want me to help you up?" The apologies were pouring out of her mouth and she burst into tears. She did NOT want to make any more enemies. The blonde girl grinned up at her.

"WHOA! Chill out, I'm ok already! No need to get so upset about it. You seem pretty worked up. Are YOU alright? Wanna come sit in our compartment?" Ali nodded mutely and followed the girl up the train to where a group of three other girls and a boy were sitting. They smiled at her as she came in, not in the slightest bit worried at the fact that a complete stranger had been led in and was now blubbing to herself in the seat opposite them with no introduction or explanation. The blonde girl looked at Ali sympathetically.

"Do you wanna tell us whats wrong?"

Then Ali let it all out. How her Dad had been killed, how she had come to Hogwarts to escape from the death-eaters, her mum, Malfoy being so horrible and how she'd cursed him (They all cheered at that bit) and how she thought she'd concussed the girl. In fact, she told them everything about her. Well, except the bit about her real parents. She didn't want them to judge her on two people she barely knew.

They were a very good audience. They gasped at all the right places and patted her sympathetically- getting very angry when she told them what Pansy and Antonia had been gossiping about. The red-haired girl in the corner was steaming, and Ali had a sneaking suspicion that she was one of the people they had been talking about. They all waited until she had finished before introducing themselves. Ginny Weasley (Ali's suspicions were correct, she was the Weasley girl they had been gossiping about) Dean Thomas, Sorenna James, Kelsey Leverage and Amma Osenda. They all seemed pretty nice, donating chocolate and making her eat it, claiming it was the cure to all things sucky and she thoroughly deserved it. The journey, which had started off so slow, now seemed to be flying by, Ali couldn't believe it when Ginny's older brother Ron came and told them to change into their robes. They had had quite a few visitors in the afternoon- Ron's friends had popped in to say hi and steal some sweets ("Oh come on, we're _starving_ here!") and Dean's friend Seamus had come, according to him, to 'lighten things up', which involved him telling some horrendously bad jokes and generally making people laugh. Ali was so content, she almost forgot about her Voldemort. It seemed to be a sort of unspoken agreement that no one would mention him. It was dark by the time they arrived at Hogwarts.

Aliothe's first impressin of the castle was the sheer size of it, it's turrets and towers loomed impressively on the mountainside. She began to feel sick. What was she supposed to do? How would she be sorted? Would she have to go up with all the first years? She hoped not. She didn't want everyone to stare at her. Would she know anyone in her dormitory? Sorenna, Kelsey and Dean were all in her year but Amma and Ginny were the year below her. She was terrified at the thought of having to make a whole bunch of new friends if she wasn't in anyone she knew's house. She didn't know any Hufflepuff's OR Slytherins, except Pansy and Antonia and she definitely didn't want anything to do with them.

They had stopped. Outside she could see students milling around, some had got on one of the hundred horseless carriages that waited there. She stepped out into the cool, breezy night air and her long black flicked around her face, tousled by the wind. She had lost sight of her newly made friends. She felt alone and frightened. The realisation that this was the first time in her life that she had been so far from her home had hit her, and she felt lost and disorientated.

She could vaguely hear someone calling her name, and a thin woman with grey hair and a faint Scottish accent was guiding her into one of the carriages by herself. She vaguely took in the landscape around her; the vast forest on the banks of an equally large lake where dozens of tiny boats sailed, seemingly powering themselves. She saw the grand iron gates with their stone gargoyles, leering at the students as they trundled along.

She was finally at Hogwarts

PHEW that took AGES!!!!!!!! I hope you didn't find it too boring/ confusing. I know it was well crap in comparison to the first chappie but I had to kind of explain why she was suddenly sent to Hogwarts and why Malfoy might tell people and then I felt sorry for her and decided to give her a few friends etc etc. This was supposed to have the sorting in it too but I didn't want to delay it any further so that will be NEXT chapter, Ok? If there was anything you didn't understand or bits you found confusing/ rubbish, tell me I wont be offended as long as you're nice about it. LOVE YOOOU!!

xxRockabillyxx


	3. Strange But Sorted

Hiya! This chapters really short, but I got writers block on whats gonna happen next so this'll have to do for now. Sorry! Thanks Mooncheese, xNancyx and () for reviewing me!! Weel anyway, hope you like this chapter, it took me a looong time to do so PLEASE review. You get, errr, Banoffee pie! Or Haagen dazs, in case you don't like Banoffee pie. Ok! Go read!

Chapter three

Strange but Sorted

Ali could hear the woman speaking to her and her brain reconnected.

"I'm Professor McGonagall," she was saying "It is Dumbledore's wish that you are sorted with the first years. He thinks this will draw attention away from the fact that you are different in any way." She sniffed, and Ali got the impression that she didn't agree with the Headmaster's decision. Neither did Ali.

"But Professor!" she cried. "Isn't it going to be even more obvious I'm different when I'm standing with a hundred first-years?!" How could Dumbledore do this to her?? She was going to be expected to stand with a load of first years who were all a head shorter than her and try to look _normal?_ Had the Head finally gone mad? She could see the teacher agreed with her.

"It is the Headmaster's wish that you are sorted along with everyone else. I'm afraid there isn't much we can say to argue, Miss Coombes. I'm sorry."

Ali felt like crying as she walked through the entrance hall and off to a small classroom full of over-excited first years. A deathly silence came over them as McGonagall and Ali entered. Ali could not remember ever feeling so sub-conscious as she did just then. McGonagall gave them disapproving glances and they hastily looked away.

"When I tell you so, you will go through to the main hall, where you will be sorted into your houses. Your house will be very important during your time at Hogwarts as it will be a little bit like your home. You will have classes with your house, eat with your house and sleep in your house dormitory. In a minute we will go through to the next room where you will try on the sorting hat in front of the other students. When you are sorted, go and sit at your table. The houses are as follows; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin."

Silence followed this speech, and the first years exchanged nervous glances, but none as nervous as how Ali felt. She thought she might be about to pass out from sheer terror as McGonagall beckoned them through.

The Great Hall was magnificent. Candles glimmered on each wall and many more floated magically above the four long table where the students sat. On the immense ceiling a million stars twinkled and shone and the tables were lined with solid gold plates and cutlery. Ali barely noticed it. All her attentions were fixed on the ragged hat on the stool at the end of the hall.

A hush fell. The hat twitched slightly, before a large rip near the seam opened and the hat burst into song

"_Oh I've sorted through new students for a thousand years or so,_

_Fully qualified to tell you in which house you ought to go._

_Our founders once would decide where you all should be,_

_But now they're gone and hence they gave the sorting job to me._

_I'll pick you for the house in which I'm sure you will belong,_

_If you listen you will hear the qualities listed in my song,_

_For Rowena and Godric, Salazaar and Helga_

_Always knew the best place to assure you would go far._

_Old Slytherin would wish for those whose fathers blood is pure,_

_Whilst Ravenclaw chose all those whose intelligence was sure._

_Now brave old Gryffindor got those with courage unsurpassed,_

_And Hufflepuff won people with love and loyalty steadfast._

_So when you put me on and I see inside your mind_

_I'll take a look and tell you which qualities I do find_

_And while you're there remember, I'm never wrong and that,_

_I'm the best at doing this job, the famous Sorting Hat!"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat bowed low to each of the four tables before becoming motionless again. Ali was pretty impressed by the display despite already having been told about it by her friends on the train. It wasn't often you saw singing, mind-reading hats.

By this time, however, the applause had died down and Professor McGonagall was peering through her glasses at the long list of new students to be sorted, and the nerves returned to Ali. What if they put her in Slytherin? Her parents had been after all, and her grandparents no doubt. The Blacks and the Lestrange's were two of the oldest pureblood wizarding families still in existence. Ali shivered at the thought of it.

_Please _she prayed silently_ Don't let me be put in Slytherin_.

McGonagall was calling out names now. Appleton, Jack was the first to be sorted. After a short pause, the hat made it's decision

"RAVENCLAW!!" it proclaimed. The table nearest Aliothe cheered loudly.

Arley, Samuel also went to Ravenclaw, but Autshwitt, Dante became the first to be sorted into Slytherin. Ali's stomach got tighter as the names past.

Brooke, Elenor. Burnley, Steven. Cawson, Mandy. 

Then Ali heard the name she was dreading

"Aliothe Coombes!" McGonagalls voice trilled. Ali could feel the eyes of everyone in the hall on her as she made the impossibly long journey towards the stool at the front. She could hear people muttering, although she couldn't catch what they were saying. She reached the stool and sat down, pulling the hat down over her eyes to block out the gawping students.

"_well well"_ said a little voice in her ear, making her jump _"well well well"_

_Well WHAT?_ Thought Ali. The hat chuckled.

"_Well I just can't quite see where to put you. You're obviously very talented, even for your age. A good brain, anyone could see that. Brave too. Stand up for yourself. Fiercely loyal.You seem to feel the need to prove something to everyone, ambitious, are you? Yes, very ambitious. Good bloodlines. Perhaps you would do well in Slytherin? I believe that is where your ancestors were placed, hmm?" _

"_I'm not like my parents"_

"Ohh, I see. Well, Gryffindor or Ravenclaw then, oh my I just don't know!" Ali was getting irritated. The best at this job? It couldn't even tell that Slytherin would most definitely be the worst place to put her. She telepathically snapped at it. 

"_Make your mind up! I thought you were the best at this job! The marvellous Sorting Hat and all that?" _The hat didn't seem to think this comment deserved a response, it coughed in a dignified manner and muttered to itself.

"_Yes well anyway, I suppose it'd better be- are you SURE you don't want Slytherin. It could be the one for you?_

"_NO!! IT ISN'T!!! SO JUST HURRY UP ALREADY!! Do you not think I have ENOUGH things to worry about without you putting me in crappy Slytherin?! YOU don't have all these problems. YOU ARE A HAT. And a pretty crap one at that. Dumbledore really should employ a better one. You're useless!" _Ali was rather enjoying releasing stress on the not-so inanimate object. It was pretty much the only thing that being rude to would have no effect on the rest of her life. The hat, however, didn't seem used to being so openly insulted. It seemed temporarily speechless, then after muttering angrily made it's decision.

"_REALLY there's no need to get so _worked up_ about it. Impudent child! First years are much less work. Oh FINE, I suppose you'd better go to _GRYFFINDOR!" Ali pulled the hat from over her eyes.

The table on the left was applauding loudly, whilst Ginny and Kelsey stood up and cheered. Ali grinned, unable to help herself. She went to sit with them, while Kelsey stuck her tongue out at Sorenna over on the Ravenclaw table and mouthed something that Ali guessed was rude, judging by Sorenna's look of mock outrage. Ginny leaned over and whispered to her as _Everall, Thomas _was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"What the hell was the hat _saying _to you? You were up there for _hours,_ practically!" Ali grinned even wider.

"Oh. It just couldn't decide where to put me so I had a go at it for being useless. The usual, y'know

"You had a go at the _Sorting Hat?!"_ Ginny sounded pretty amused "What did it say to that?"

"Well, it was a little bit offended, but it wanted to put me in _Slytherin_ for heavens sake! I could hardly just sit there and watch my fate be horrifically sealed be a freakin' _hat_ could I?"

The sorting seemed to have ended, the last few first years were now scuttling over to their new house tables. The headmaster had stood up to speak, his eyes glinting merrily behind his glasses. Almost instantly the noise level in the hall dwindled to nothing and Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"I will not keep you from this delicious feast for long, only long enough to say welcome back, and, to our new students, welcome. I hope this year will be a wonderful one for you all! Now, I appear to be keeping you from a feast! Tuck in everyone!"

Ali turned to see the golden plates and goblets in front of her brimming with drinks and nice things to eat. Eyes widening slightly, she turned to look at Kelsey. She grinned at her.

"Welcome to Hogwarts Ali!"

oooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo

Ali didn't think she'd ever eaten so much in her life. She dreamily followed Ginny- who as a prefect had the onerous task of escorting the first years to Gryffindor tower- and Kelsey up several flights of stairs until they came to a dead end where a portrait of an extremely large woman in a medieval style dress.

"Chinese Fireball" said Ginny. The portrait swung back, revealing a small hole which led through, according to Kelsey, to Gryffindor common room. Tired, warm and content, she took in the rooms snug homeliness, the burning log fire and the cosy armchairs and sofas. The first-years were gasping in delight and wonder at the beautiful décor, while Ginny played shepherd, trying to round them all up and persuade them it would look exactly the same in the morning _after_ they'd had a good nights sleep. Ali thought the same, she was absolutely exhausted after a day of total change, nerves and friend-making. Following Kelsey to the sixth year dormitories (too tired to fully appreciate her huge for-poster bed) she went to change. She had not thought about Malfoy or the girls for hours. Until she saw the note tucked carefully into the front pocket of her suitcase.

_Watch your back, Blood traitor._

ooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo

_The corridor was almost pitch black, only the dungeons weak candles spread their pitiful light over the scene that lay beneath. A tall, slim girl with fiery red hair and startlingly green eyes stood, pulled up to her full height, her chin held high and alert. Around her stood a ring of about ten girls, their wands held out in front of them. The red-haired one was hugely outnumbered with no chance to escape. Then one of the girls round the outside spoke, her voice full of malice and amusement, her dark heavily lidded eyes showing no flicker of mercy._

"_Mudblood!" she spat "you seemed to think you could get the better of me? I told you it would all end in tears. Are you ready to die? Your parents weren't, you know, although they barely had time to beg for mercy. The Dark Lord wants you dead, Evans, and his wish is my command. He heard what you did to me, his most faithful servant, and he wants revenge. Think how pleased he will be when he discovers I have done it before him!" Her cruel laugh echoed round the dungeon walls. If the girl was intimidated, she did not show it. Every pore of her seemed to seethe disgust as she responded to the girls taunts._

"_You call me filth, Black, yet it is you who needs nine others just to take me on. How is Voldemort these days? Still worshipping him are we? Does it feel good mercilessly killing innocent people? Do you get a kick out of it? You're pathetic, a weak coward just like your master!" The dark haired girl shrieked murderously._

"_How dare you besmirch the name of my master on your filthy mudblood tongue! Crucio!!" The other witch collapsed her screams piercing through the darkness, twitching horribly. Their were shouts from the other end of the corridor, three boys appeared. The first, a tall, skinny boy with messy hair and hazel eyed cried out to the shuddering girl_

"_Lily!!"_

Aliothe woke up, sweating and shuddering. The dream was but a blur in her mind, she vaguely remembered screaming and pain, so much pain. Then she remembered the night before. She knew without a doubt who had written the note. Malfoy. She had publicly humiliated him and betrayed her 'noble' bloodline to be sorted into Gryffindor. Was this what her time at Hogwarts would be like? Threats and hatred over things she had no control over? Nightmares and terror? If it were she'd be better off back with Susie as live prey for Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Out of the frying-pan and into the fire. She looked at her clock. 5.30. The rest of her dormitory were fast asleep, their breath steady. She lay down, trying to get back to sleep.


End file.
